Inuyasha and Kouga gasped. They had come forward to listen better. Miroku and Sango had followed slowly and both wore sad expressions. They had noticed the great change Kagome had underwent too. And both understood that there was no way back.

Sesshomaru had to be restrained by his father in earnest now. Even one from the police force had to support Touga. Sesshomaru was ready to rip Naraku's throat out, destroy that necklace, take Kagome and hold her close. Never let her go again, never let another male close. He would kill everyone that came too close to her. And Naraku would pay in the cruelest way possible!

..

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Naraku, the slowly setting sun illuminating the shrine with the last rays. He nearly grinned at the change in Kagome's eyes. The seal was being released, power was brimming, ready to overflow inside those blue oceans.

She took the necklace in her hand, seemingly considering something. Then, with a quick movement, she ripped it off and let his crest fall to the ground.

"No." she said, her voice slowly changing as a silent wind whipped around her. "I won't mate you, Naraku. For you shall be punished for your sins against humankind and earth itself." her eyes went even lighter, as they became an ice blue, then a blinding white.

She began floating and Naraku cursed, letting go of her hands. She radiated light now, a swift wind whipping her hair up. And she didn't look like Kagome anymore. That was a powerful being, not the high school student Kagome. Her former family and friends could only stand and gape.

Naraku frowned and threw his hands up, sudden tentacles reaching for her. But once they met her light, they dissolved. Naraku frowned, but had a manic grin in his eyes, throwing more attacks at her, tentacles, dark shadows, even weapons he somehow had with him. But nothing touched her.

When he finally tried to take a step back, she smiled gently. "You can't flee, Naraku. Accept your fate." she said and caressed his head. "You should have known the gods wouldn't let you off. We would never let you off. You will suffer because of your own stupidity."

It was the voice that brought shivers, the voice that made you crouch to beg for mercy. But at the same time it was gentle and warm, coming from her mouth and echoing softly.

Naraku cursed, throwing his hands up, tentacles wrapping around her neck. "You won't get me! I survived back then, and I will now!"

Bright, blinding chains suddenly bound the villain and the tentacles dissolved into nothing. "No." the floating woman said gently. "You won't." A blinding flash of light and a terrible bloody scream later, Naraku was gone. Completely.

As the police force went to their hands and knees in front of the floating woman who had once been Kagome, Inuyasha and Kouga simply gaped. Sesshomaru had to hold himself back not to grasp her and try to bring back Kagome. Sango quietly wept and Miroku held her close, trying not to succumb to sadness as well.

Touga came forward, stopping a good distance before her. Then he bowed his head, shaking.

"Touga." her voice came, gentler, softer. "Do not be so sad." She turned around and looked at her friends. "All of you. Do not be sad."

The late evening sun finally set and only the warm white gleam of the celestial being illuminated the abandoned shrine. She smiled gently and then stopped floating, her feet back on the ground. With a few light steps, the being was in front of Sango. The girl looked up and could not stop the sob at the sight of her former best friend. She looked like Kagome, but then she didn't. Too divine to be human. Too perfect. She had shed most of the intricate kimono and wore one layer now. Her difficult hairstyle was loosened as well and with every twist of the wind only she could feel it went back to the open waves she normally wore.

A gentle touch diminished Sango's sob to a small hiccup. "Do not cry, sister of my soul." she wiped Sango's tears away. "It would shame what I have given."

Sango nodded brokenly. "I'll- I'll miss you."

The being smiled gently. "I know." Then the glowing celestial looked over to Miroku. "Take care of her for me, brother of my heart."

Miroku bowed with a hand upon his heart, a few tears escaping him. "I will." he whispered.

She walked over to the still gaping Kouga and Inuyasha. Cupping their cheeks, she chuckled.

"Go your paths in life. You will find happiness. Never give up."

Then she turned around as the reality crashed upon those two and both began crying quietly. The woman walked over to Touga and grasped his chin to make him look at her.

"Stupid man. Don't blame yourself." she said and smiled again.

"What will happen to you now?" he asked, murmuring under his tears.

"I am expected to be with the gods." she said and cleaned his cheeks. "I became one of them."

He smiled brokenly. "I couldn't save you after all."

She shook her head ruefully, her hair slowly following the movement. "I was saved the day you came upon me. Without you I would have died long ago." she smiled and softly touched his shoulder. "As I said, stupid man. Don't blame yourself for destiny."

He laughed again. "It is truly not my fault that you..." he broke off.

"No." she replied gently and kissed his cheek. "It could never be."

Saving the hardest for last, she turned away from a still crying Touga and walked towards a shaking Sesshomaru.

She cupped his cheek lovingly and kissed away the tears. "Do not be so sad because of me, love."

He looked into her eyes at her words and glimpsed a part of the old Kagome. "Why?" he asked quietly, brokenly. Had Inuyasha been listening, he would have gasped at his older brothers tone. It was filled with a depth of emotion the younger Taisho never could have imagined.

She smiled sadly and shrugged. "It's destiny. Nothing we could do against."

He suddenly drew her into an embrace and held her close. "I love you." he whispered against her ear. "Since I first saw you."

She returned his embrace, not saying anything.

When he let go, she cocked her head adorably in Kagome style and smiled warmly. "It will get better."

"The heartache?"

She chuckled lightly. "Everything, dummy."

At the place of her change, the middle of the shrine, a light pillar erupted and blurred figures of light could be seen. Touga gasped, overwhelmed. Miroku and Sango fell to their hands and knees and Kouga and Inuyasha soon followed, their heads bowed.

The being that had been Kagome in the past turned around and smiled at the celestial group.

"Just a short moment. I want to share something with my love I haven't yet been able to."

One came out of the group and turned into more than a blurred figure of light, turned into a being with clear features. Touga flew to his knees and bowed his head deeply as he felt her powers. That was the queen of the gods. Mother of all.

"Dear." she softly said, her voice the pure love of a mother.

The being in front of Sesshomaru turned and fearlessly gazed upon the strongest female deity.

"We will grant you your wish." she said and accepted the hug that she was enveloped in a second later. "You have served us well and we want to see you happy. And you will always stay who you are, deep inside."

The smaller deity shook and Sesshomaru – the only human standing – was amazed to see tears of light run down the pale cheeks from white eyes.

"Thank you." the smaller celestial said and looked over to the other gods. "Thank you all."

The mother smiled and rubbed the tears from her eyes and cheeks. "Take this necklace as a reminder of your true being." a light necklace was placed around her neck. "And visit us sometimes." she said with a wide smile and a wink.

"Sure." the smaller deity giggled. "Whenever I am free."

The mother walked back and the pillar of light dissolved as the queen reached it and all gods were gone within a blink. Sesshomaru watched with wide eyes as the girl turned around and blue eyes met his. Her unnatural, inhuman beauty was gone, and back was the pure hearted girl.

He stumbled forward and enclosed her into an embrace. "Kagome." he whispered, burying his face in her hair. "Kagome. Kagome. Kagome." he whispered again and again.

She shifted against him and he lifted his face from her hair only to meet her glittering eyes full of love and her soft lips on his.

"I love you too, Sesshomaru."